


Reliquus

by nagemeikenu



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU, F/M, Fluff, background deamus - Freeform, background hinny, coffeeshop, muggle, romione
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:28:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24340591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nagemeikenu/pseuds/nagemeikenu
Summary: Ron spends his time dreaming of finally taking what he wants, but puts it off due to low self-esteem and insecurities. He wants his own bakery, wants to talk to the amazingly beautiful businesswoman who comes into the cafe every Sunday to work. Will he ever take the steps towards what he wants instead of doing everything to help everyone else?
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley
Comments: 25
Kudos: 61





	Reliquus

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hillnerd](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hillnerd/gifts).



> This is a gift for Hillnerd on Tumblr! Also known as Hillyminne. Throughout the period of COVID-19, she has solidified a community of fanfic writers, rpers, and artists to talk about everything we love and feel connected. I am so grateful for the events she's taken the time to organize. It's helped distract me from a time of uncertainty and fear, and I know it's helped others as well. She deserves all the love in the world!
> 
> In addition, I'd like to thank Manny (manny-bgm and manny-drawz on tumblr! A fantastic artist and human!) for beta'ing my fic and exploring grammar nitpicks with me! This fic was also Brit-picked by fabulous British people (abradystrix and others involved in this wonderful endeavor), so hopefully it is error-free!
> 
> Hope y'all enjoy!

_ Maybe it was foolish to think he’d make it, but it was better than giving up _ . He licked his lips as he wiped down another table.  _ Maybe he would make it _ . Somehow, that thought was scarier. It was everything he wanted, and yet here he was, terrified if it did happen.  _ He was completely mad _ .

_ Buzzzzzzzzz. _ He checked his phone, and it was reminding him to unlock the cafe doors. After the first time he’d forgotten, he’d set an alarm everyday just in case. It was worth waking up annoyed on his days off. The keys jingled as he took them out of his pocket and unlocked the door, flipped the sign to open, hit the switch to turn on the outside lights.  _ Time to push dreams aside, Weasley. There’s work to do. _

In a typical Friday morning fashion, he had a line out the door and several impatient businesspeople clamouring for their coffees. He and Harry were up to their necks in trying to serve the pastries, drinks, and send people on their merry way so they wouldn’t block the bloody counter. Luckily, he and Harry had had more morning rushes than they wanted to think about, and were able to handle it without too much fuss. They had a steady mid-morning, and a busy lunch. After that lunch rush, Ron and Harry were looking forward to their sweet, sweet clock-out time. Seamus showed up on time for once, and Dean clocked in just when they were clocking out.

“Hey, Ron,” Dean called out as the two were walking away.

“Yeah, mate?”

“Would you mind switching Sunday? I’ve got a date that afternoon, so I can come in the morning and you can take my afternoon?”

“Yeah, sure,” Ron told him. After all, it meant he’d get a lie-in on Sunday. He updated the calendar on his phone, said good-bye to Seamus and Dean, and went out the door with Harry.

“You hate afternoon shifts.” Harry didn’t even bother looking at Ron.

“I’m not a morning person.”

“Yet, here we are.”

“I just don’t like standing ‘round with nothing to do. The afternoons are slow.”

“So you switched your Sunday shift because…?”

“I like a lie-in on a Sunday.”

“Is it because of that businesswoman that comes in every Sunday?”

“No.”  _ Damn. _ He could feel his ears getting warm.

“It  _ is _ !” Harry laughed. “You fancy her!”

“No, I don’t even know her name.”

“Yet, here we are.”

“Stop.”

“Why? You were relentless when I started seeing Ginny.”

“You and Ginny have been building up to that for years, Potter.”

“Since when do you call me _Potter_?”  
“Since you’ve started to annoy me.”

“I annoy you all the time.”

“So it was about time I changed tactics, yeah?”

“Hang on…”

“What? Can’t think of anything annoying to say?” Ron grinned.

“No, you’re changing the subject!”

“Am I? What was the subject?”

“The lovely warrior goddess who comes in every Sunday.”

“‘Lovely warrior goddess?’”

“Your words, mate.”

“When?”

“Last Sunday. She came in as we were clocking out and you nearly melted into the floor.”

“I was perfectly composed.”

“She looked at you and you babbled.”

“I did not, I  _ stuttered _ . It’s entirely different.”

“Yeah, alright. We’ll see on Sunday.”

“Yeah, right.”

“If you don’t somehow flirt with her, the Sunday after I do something drastic.”

“What? What d’you mean drastic?”

“I get Seamus and Dean involved. They always work Sundays.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“I would. You’ve been going nuts about her since you first saw her. No more pining, time for you to take some action for once in your life.”

“I take action all the time.”

“Really? And when are you going to quit this job and open up your bakery? You’ve been saving up and testing recipes for  _ years _ .”

“In...it’ll happen sometime.”

“Ron.”

“What? I can’t possibly pull it off anyway.”

“Why on earth not?”

“How would I know how to run a business?”

“Gee, let me think. You’ve got a degree in business management.”

“That was for George. I didn’t get the best marks anyway.”

“Use it for yourself! Do something for yourself.”

“I do things for myself all the time.”

“Like what?” Harry’s challenging green eyes silenced Ron, and somehow the freshly ground coffee he’d fixed himself this morning didn’t quite seem good enough.

“I made fresh coffee from beans this morning.”

“So did I.”

“I meant at home, Harry.”

“Well, now that is something.” Harry looked mildly impressed, which made Ron think that maybe Harry had a point.

“You’re thinking.” Harry poked his shoulder. “Talk.”

“Dunno. Just…” Ron trailed off and shrugged.

“Come off it. Talk.”

“You might have a small point.”

“Might?”

“Yeah.”

“And what caused this sudden enlightenment?”

“You’re proud that I made myself a special coffee this morning.”

“I am. I’m usually very proud of you.” Harry had turned very serious, and Ron wasn’t quite sure how to react. It was probably best he didn’t say anything, as his throat suddenly felt quite thick.

“Look, Ron, you never do anything for yourself. When was the last time you had a day off?”

“I had yesterday.”

“You worked in the joke shop yesterday. I mean, an actual day off where you weren’t here  _ or _ at George’s shop. When was the last time you had time to just relax?”

Ron frowned as he thought through the past weeks. Did helping Harry move in with Ginny count?

“If you’re thinking about the day you spent helping me move in with your sister last month, it doesn’t count.” Harry’s voice was as flat as paper and dry as a desert.  _ Shit _ . “That also means you had to go back to  _ last month _ to come up with something.”

Ron winced. “I have had some time to myself; it’s not like I’m constantly working. I’ve tested a lot of recipes I’ve found.”

“That...might actually be relaxing for you.” Harry sighed. “I wish you had more relaxing strategies than baking and planning for the bakery you’re not convinced you can open.”

“It helps.” Ron said quietly.

“I know, I do, but what’s the point if you’ve got no faith that it’ll happen?” Harry looked at him for a long time while Ron tried to process. “If you can’t step forward with the bakery, step forward with the special customer that comes in. Do  _ something _ about either. I want you to be happy, not...not sitting around here because you don’t think you’re worth doing what you actually want to do.” Harry shook Ron’s shoulder a bit, then let go. “Just think about it, yeah?”

“I’ll think about it,” Ron promised.

He kept his promise, and thought about the lovely woman who came in every Sunday afternoon. He didn’t know her order, but he did know that she had warm, brown eyes. He knew she had an amazing smile when she did smile, and he knew that he likely had no chance with her at all. She came in wearing suits and carrying a briefcase with a sleek laptop. She spoke quickly and directly, matching the way she walked. He knew that she was the kind of woman he’d butt heads with because their approaches to life were so different, but he thought it could be good for him. Maybe he could even be good for her.

When he clocked in, Dean clocked out in a rush.

“Thanks, Ron. You’re the best!” Dean ran out the door with a grin. When Ron finished chuckling, he saw Seamus sighing sadly.

“How long have you fancied him?” Ron asked as he tied on his apron.

“Since we started training here.” Seamus wiped down the counter since they had a pause in traffic.

“So when are you going to do anything about it?”

“When you flirt with that businesswoman who comes in.” Seamus grinned.

“Ah, so today. Good.” Ron roared with laughter at the look on Seamus’ face. It seemed like Seamus wanted to speak but simply didn’t know how to make a sound. Seamus’ mouth was moving and there was no sound coming out whatsoever.

“Got ya, mate.” Ron was grinning when the door opened. There she was, the stunning woman in a soft pink suit and her briefcase. Her eyes met his and all thoughts dropped out of his head.

“Hello,” she said as she approached the counter.

“Hi,” Ron managed. “What can I get you today?”

“I’d like a large coffee with hazelnut and almond milk, please.”

“Absolutely. This is your usual?”

“Yes, actually.” Her brown eyes lightened as she smiled politely.

“I’ll remember it for next time, then.” He brought up the amount, told her. She handed over exact change, which made him grin. Usually, customers who used exact change annoyed him. There were always three different coins to put into their correct spots and it always took ages to put away the change. She made him see it was easier than having to stumble over the machine’s amounts and fight with the nasty pence on the far side of the register. Putting coins into their places was much smoother than fighting them out of their places.

“Thank you very much. Name?” Ron poised the marker above the cup.

“Hermione.”

“Shakespeare?” Ron scribbled it, and underneath, drew a heart.

“It is, yeah.” He looked just in time to see her real smile. His heart stopped, then flopped out of his chest and at her feet.  _ I’m in love _ .

“I’ll just,” Ron swallowed. “I’ll get this for you.” Ears burning, he focused on getting her coffee exactly right. Once he’d finished agonising over how much milk to put in (yes, training said this amount, but what if she liked a bit more? Or less?), he capped it, took the marker as if he was noting something on the cup rather than writing his phone number, and set it on the counter in front of her.

“Hope you like it,” he said softly, and just took in her face.

“Thank you,” her eyes moved to find his nametag. “Ron.” Her eyes met his again as she smiled.

“Have a lovely afternoon.” Ron couldn’t help the grin on his face.  _ I made her smile _ .

“You too, thanks.” After a moment, she stepped away, sat at a table.

As she strode to the table, white heels clicking on the floor of the near empty cafe, Ron felt he was able to breathe normally again.

“Ron,” Seamus breathed out.

“I did it,” Ron grinned at his friend.

“I’m proud to know you.” Seamus tossed him a cloth. Ron took a bow and grabbed some cleaner. He couldn’t stop grinning, even though he was cleaning windows and tables. Every now and again he could glance at her, see her working at her laptop with the coffee he’d made her set beside her.

He decided he’d ask Harry to switch shifts along with him. Seamus and Dean could work Sunday mornings while they took the afternoon. It was another step, and maybe,  _ just maybe _ , he’d work up the courage to rent the storefront down the road. He had enough for the two month’s rent, plus a month’s rent as collateral. It was a start. It just might be worth it.

He watched her as she rose from her table with the empty vessel, while she looked at it with a smile. His heart skipped a beat as she took out her phone, brows furrowed in concentration as she looked from cup to screen. It was inevitable that his ears grew hot. He ducked his head for some semblance of hiding while he wiped an invisible spot on a nearby table.

_ Click, click, click. _ That was the unmistakable sound of high heels moving past him. Suddenly, he couldn’t help but hold his breath. The front door jingled as the woman of his dreams walked out. Once he was certain the door was closing, he turned to look.

She turned back as she headed down the pavement, then quickly turned away as he flushed.  _ Maybe that was a bit much. She totally thinks I’m a stalking creep now… _

Suddenly, he didn’t feel like talking to Harry, Seamus and Dean about a shift change.

Later, though, his screen lit up. He expected it to be Harry, but instead it was a brief  _ ‘Hi’ _ from an unknown number. The heart which had previously sulked somewhere around his spleen leapt into his throat.

_ ‘Hi. Is this Hermione?’ _ He pressed ‘Send’ and immediately panicked.  _ That could be a scam. I’ve just thrown myself into an awful scam, and I won’t have any of my savings for the bakery oh FUCK. _

“Mate?”

“Oh, H-Harry. H-hi.”

“What did you do?” Harry’s green eyes narrowed in immediate concern.

“Something so daft you’ll stop being my friend.” Ron rubbed a hand over his face and handed over his phone.

“Who’s Hermione?”

“The...goddess. From Sundays.”

“You gave her your number?”

“Yeah, and it was a complete mistake. I was an absolute creep. Now someone’s got an ‘in’ for a scam or something and I’m never going to get my bakery, Harry.  _ Never _ . Don’t deserve it, anyhow, but...I’ve royally screwed the pooch there.” Ron closed his eyes against the sudden burning. He may have been a stupid git, but he refused to cry about it.

“So, just to be clear, you don’t want me to read the response that she sent?”

“What?” Ron’s eyes flew open and Harry looked at him with a quirked brow.

“She says, ‘Yeah, the one who ordered the large coffee with hazelnut and almond milk.’” Harry pursed his lips. “Almond milk?”

“Some people are lactose intolerant.” Ron muttered, wiping at his eyes.

“Some people are over the moon for people they’ve only just started talking to,” Harry grinned as he handed Ron the phone.

“Shut it,” Ron sniffed. Looking at the message, he started to grin. “She texted me. She actually texted me!”

“I’m quite proud, actually. I didn’t think you’d do it.” Harry laughed.

“So proud you’ll gang up on Seamus and Dean to switch Sunday shifts?”

“Are you going to talk to Tom about the storefront?”

“If you come with me.”

“Done and done.” Harry stuck out his hand to shake. Ron took it, and laughed.

The odds just might be in his favour after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Let me know what you thought in the comments below, and if you liked it, drop a kudos! Hopefully I've provided a good distraction and made you smile <3


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